Switch control system



July 2, 1929.

W. M. SCOTT SWITCH CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Oct. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5i ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES rarer FFEQE.

SWITCH CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed October 25, 1927.

My invention relates to control systems and devices, particularly for electric switches or circuit-breakers.

In accordance with my invention, amovable member through a disengageable connection effects movement of a control memher to energize the operating means of a mechanism, as of a switch, thereby to effect a )1'edetermined movement of the mechanism, as movement of a circuit-controlling device to a circuit-controlling position, and, substantially upon completion of movement of the mechanism, specifically the circuitcontrolling device, the disengageable connection rendered ineffective to maintain said control member in its energizing position, particularly by engagement between an elen'ient thereof and a member associated with the mechanism, more particularly the circuit-controlling member.

More specifically in accordance with my invention, the movable member is an element of a relay, particularly of the electromagnetic type, which when initially energized from a remote point by manipulation of a cont olling member, as a control switch, effects, as above stated, actuation of the movable member to move, through the disengageable connection, a control member, as for example an electrical contact structure, to cause energization of mechanism, as switch operating means, more particularly clectrmnagnetic switchoperating means.

Still more specifically, the switch is of the.

automatic or circuit-breaker type, movable to the closed circuit position upon energization of the electromagnetic operating means, and held or restrained in the circuit closing position by device, as a latch. adapted to be released by a means responsive to a circuit condition, as of undervoltage or over.- load, and is characterized by the. feature that after opening or tripping, it cannot reclose if the movable member and the remote control member have remained in a position which initially effected circuit-closing n'iorement of the switch.

My invention resides further in a control system and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of one of the forms my invention may take, reference to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a remote control, electromagnetically operated Serial No. 228,570.

circuit-breaker cooperating with a relay constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the relay disclosed in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a schematic'wiring diagram of the circuit-breaker, its closing and tripping coils, a relay, and a remote control switch.

Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view of part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, to the base 1 of slate or other insulating material there are socured main terminal bloeks2 and 3 which are adapted to be bridged by the movable contact member 4, here representing a lam.- inated bridging member supported by and mounted'upon the arm 5 which is pivoted to the housing or bracketfisecured upon base 1. Secured upon and in electrical contact with the terminal block 2' are the intermediate stationary metallic shuntcontact 7 and shunt contact 12, the contacts 11 and 12 being supported by the arm Pivoted, as at 13, to the bracket 6 is a switch actuating lever 14 having arms disposed on either side of the pivot point and to one end of which there is pivoted, as at 15, a link 16"whose other end is pivoted. on the switch arm 5. To the other end of the lever, as at 17, there is pivoted a down- \vardly extending operating rod 18 suitably pivoted at its lower extremity to an arm 19 pivoted at 19 which is operated through pivoted link 19 by the core, C, (Fig. 4-), of a solenoid or closing coil 20 disposed within the casing 21 which is preferably of magnetic material. l

Pivoted to the car 22, on the housing 6, at 28 is the latch 24: adapted to engage the roller 25 carried in the extension 26 of the switch actuating lever 14 to lock the parts in circuit closed position. In Fig. l the parts are in the position immediatelyprior to that which they assume when in the fullv closed circuit position. The upper end of a connecting rod or link 27 is pivoted, preferably with lost motion in a slot, as at 28, to the latch 24's and the lower end thereof is pivoted to a projection 28 extending upwardly from the upper surface of and near one end of a pivoted armature member 29 biased upwardly to the position shown by a spring 29 (Fig. 4) or other suitable means. Upon energization of a tripping coil disposed within the upper end of the housing or casing 21, the armature 29 rotates about its pivot 31 to retract the latch member 24 from its restraining engagement with roller 25, permitting the switch arm 5 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, under the influence of a spring or other suitable means, not shown, to the open circuit position and simultaneously therewith the switch actuating arm 14 connected thereto by the link 16 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, effecting like movement of the arm 82 fastened to the arm 14 and retating therewith about the shaft 13. The free end of the arm 82 is connected through link to the end of a movable switch member 33 pivoted at 34 to a terminal member I fastened in any desired manner to the base .1. The latch 24 may also be actuated by pushing towards base 1, the manually operable finger 24 which is connected to or engagesthe latch 24 to effect rotation thereof in a clockwise direction. The latch 24 may also be, and preferably is, provided with a tail extension (not shown), movement of which may be effected by changes in degree of energization of a tripping coil 60 connected in series with the main terminals 2 and 3 or in any other desired relation.

A fixed contact36 secured to or mounted on base 1 is adapted to be engaged by the tip 37 of a spring pressed switch finger 38 pivoted on a member 39 and connected by a flexible lead to a terminal 40 also fastened to the insulating base 1. The member 39 and the contact finger 38 are carried by but insulated from, as by a strip 41 of fibre or other suitable material, an arm 42 pivoted at 42 to an upwardly extending lug 43fastened to or integral with the end support 44 .of a solenoid 45 whose base plate 45 may be fastened in any suitable manner, as by screws 46, to the casing or housing 21 or to the base 1. To a bracket extension 47, extending downwardlyfrom the lower end of the solenoid support or frame, is pivoted at 48 one end of an arm 48 adapted to engage at one extreme of its movement a stop membcr 49 which is or may be integral with the bracket extension 47. Intermediate its pivoted and free ends, the arm 48 is pivotally engaged by a core member 50 adapted to re ciprocate within the relay coil or solenoid 45, and at its free end is provided with a roller51 adapted to engage a notch in the lower extremity of a latch member 53 pivoted at 58 to the relay contact actuating arm 42.

hen the relay coil 45 is energized and the relay contacts 36, 37 are in the circuit closing position, as shown in Fig. 1, a laterally extending lug 54 disposed on the latch member 53 is substantially in the path of movement of one end of a tripping'inember 05 normally held against stop pin 56 projecting outwardly from coilhousing 21 by a spring 57 whose ends engage respectively an arm of the tripping member and an abutment 57 fixed to the casing 21. The spring 57 may ordinarily be dispensed with as the disposition and weight of the tripping member effectively bias it into cngagement with stop pin 56. The oppositely extending arm of the tripping member is disposed in the path of movement of a pin 58 projecting from an extension 59 of the solenoid actuated arm 19.

As disclosed in Fig. 3, one terminal of the switch or eircuitbreaker closing coil 20 is connected to one conductor 61 of'a control circuit and the other terminal thereof connectcd to the fixed contact 36 adapted to be engaged by the movable relay contact 37 to complete the circuit of the closing coil through the conductor 62. One terminal of the remote control tripping coil 30 is connected to a fixed contact (53 adapted to be engaged by the movable blade 64 of a remote control switch and the other terminal thereof is connected to the movable contact blade 33 which, when the main circuit breaker is in the closed circuit position, engages a fixed contact 65 connected to the conductor 62 of the control circuit. One terminal of the relay solenoid 45 is connected to the conductor 62 of the control circuit and the other end thereof is connected to a fixed contact member 66 adapted to be engaged by the movable contact member 64 of the manually operable remote control switch which is in turn connected to the conductor 61.

Assuming that all the coils are de-energized and that the main circuit breaker is in the open circuit position, the main circuit between the contacts 2, 3 may be completed by moving the contact blade 64. of the remote control. switch, manually or otherwise, in a counter-clockwise direction to bring it into engagement with the fixed contact 66 whereupon current flows through the control circuit conductor 61, wire 67, through the contacts 64 and 66, relay coil 45, and (onductor 62 to the other terminal of the con trol circuit. 'Upon energization of the coil 45, the core 50 drawn upwardly, effecting counter-clockwise rotation of the arm 48 from the dotted to the full line position of Fig. 2 forcing the latch or detachable connecting arm 53 to move upwardly, thereby effecting counter-clockwise rotation of the switch arm 42 to close the circuit of the closing coil 20 through contacts 36 and 37, the respective parts of the relay then being in the positions shown in Fig. 1. The armature or core member of the closing coil 20 thereupon effects downward movement of the switch operating red through tie lever 19, causing the switch actuating arm 14 and the mechanism associated therewith to assume the position as shown in Fig. 1. Upon further movement of the core the movable member 4 of the main switch is pressed to the fully closed circuit position and the roller drops into a notch in the lever 24,-

and substantially simultaneously therewith the pin 58 engages the lower arm of the tripping member 55 moving it in a clockwise direction away from the stop 56 and against the tension of the spring 57 into engagement with the lug 54: which projects from the latch 53, effecting disengagement of the lower end of the latch from the roller 51. Referring to Fig, 2, under the influence of gravity act ing upon the latch 53, arm 42 andstructure carried thereby,, or by suitable biasing means, the arm 42 rotates about its pivot 42, breaking the circuit of the closing coil even though the remote control switch may be permitted to remain in the circuitbrcalcer closing position, that is, with the contact 64 in engagement with the contact 66.

Obviously, the tripping ot' latch 53 or its equivalent, as for example, a toggle, may be eflected mechanically by engagement of lug 54; or its equivalent with any suitable member, or an element associated therewitiuof the movable system of the circuit-breaker.

As long as the remote control switch is permitted to remain continuously in this position, the arm 48 remains in its up,:cr position and disengaged from the latch member 53, as viewed in Fig. 2, so that if the latch 24. is actuated by a tripping coil, such an overload or uinler-voltage coil, responsive to the main circuit conditions, the main circuit will be broken and remain so, since the closing coil circuit of the breaker is (lo-energized despite the position of the remote control switch. During move nent of the circuit-breaker to the open circuit position, tripping member 55 relieved of restraint by pin 58 returns to its biased position in engagement with pin 56 and latch 53 is free to rotate under the influence of gravity to the position indicatet in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Upon subsequent de-ener iaation of the relay coil by remote control switch 64s, the arm 48 drops to its initial position, the roller 51. again engagingthe notch. 52 of latch The action of the relay COlTl1)1lSlH Z' solenoid 45 and contacts 36 and 37 is such that upon the completion of the movement etiiected by the solenoid 2O controlled thereby, the circuit of the latter opened and is so maintained during continuance of the remote control switch in circuit closing position.

Assuming that the remote control switch was returned to the central, neutral position for completion of the circuit-closing movenii v i he main circuit breaker, upon tripping of the circuit-breaker in response to an abnormal or subnormal conditionof the main circuit, the circuit-breaker maybe reclosed by again effecting contact between the movable blade 64 and the fixed contact 66, since upon de-energization of the relay coil 4-5, arm 48 propelled by the unattracted core resumes its original position indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 2. During the circuit-closing movement of the main circuitbreaker contact at, the movable contact 33 brought into engagement withthe fixed con tact by the connecting link 35 pivoted to the free ends of the contact 33 and the arm 32, respectively.

To open the main circuit-breaker, the re mote control switch is manually operated to bring the movable cont-act 64 in engagement with the fixed, contact 3 eonipleting the circuitthroi'igh the tripping coil 30 and switch arm 33, whereupon the arn'ia-ture 29 is energized and the latch 24 withdrawn from the restraining engagementwith theroller 25, permitting the circuit-breaker to open in the manner above described. During the opening movement of the main circuit breaker the movable contact is disengaged from the fixed contact 65, opening the circuitof the tripping coil 30 so that the control switch may be permitted to remain in its circuit-breaker opening position Without energization of the coil 30. Relieved of the restraint. of pin 58, the tripping member returns to its biased position against stop 56 and latch arm 53 is free to rotate about its pivotal connection with arm 42 in a clockwise direct-ion as viewed in Fig. 2 to reeftect engagement between notch 52 in its lower end and the roller 51 of arm 48.

Although preferably and as specifically described, my remote control system and the switch operating mechanisms are electrical in character, it is to be understood that they are not necessarily so and my invention is not limited thereto. For example, the relay coil 45 and the magnetic core 50 could be replaced by a cylinder and a piston, in which case a valve would be substituted for the remote control switch 64-. Similarly, the solenoid 20 and its core could be replaced by equivalent structure without departing from the spirit o'l my invention.

What l claim is:

l. The combination of a switch having energizable operating means, means movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable means to en ergizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable n'iea-ns and said actuating means therefor, and means associated with said switch to eiiect disengagement of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said movable means from energizing position, substantially upon completion of a circuit-controlling movement of said switch by said operating means.

2. The combination of mechanism having ener'gizable operating means, means movable to effect energization of said operatlng 'means, means to actuatesaid movable means to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable means and said actuating means therefor, and means associated with said mechanism to effect disengagement of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said movable means from energizing position, substantially upon completion of a predetermined movement of said mechanism by said operating means.

3. The combination of a switch having electrical operating means, contact structure movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable contact structure to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable contact structure and said actuating means therefor, and means associated with said switch to effect disengagement of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said movable contact structure from energizing position, substantially upon completion of a circuit-controlling movement of said switch by said operating means.

4. The combination of a switch having electro-magnetic operating means, contact structure movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable contact structure to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable contact structure and said actuating means therefor, and means actuated by movable mechanism of said switch to effect disengagement of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said movable contact sn'ucture from energizing position, substantially upon completion of a circuit-control.- ling movement of said switch by said op erating means.

The combination of mechanism having electromagnetic operating means, a switch movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said switch to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said switch and said actuating means therefor, an d means actuated by movement of said mechanism to effect disengage ment of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said switch from energizing position, substantially upon completion of a predetermined movement of said mechanism by said operating means. i

6. The combination of mechanism having electromagnetic operating means, a switch movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said switch to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said switch and said actuating means therefor, and means actuated by said mechanism upon movement to a predetermined position to effect disengagement of said connecting means, and thereby, movement of said switch from energizing position.

7. The combination. of a switch having energizable operating means, a member movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable mei her to energizing position, an arm pivotally connected to said movable member and detachably en. ring said actuating means, and means actuated by movable mechanism of said switch substantially upon COll'iplQt-lOIt of a circuit-controlling movement to effect disengagement of said arm and said actuating means.

8. The combination of a switch having energizable operating means, means biased to a first position and movable to a second position to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable means to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable means and said actuating means therefor, and means associated. with said switch to effect disengagement of said. connecting means and thereby permitting movement of said movable means to said first position substantially upon completion of a circuit-controlling movement of said switch by said operating means.

9. The combination of a switch having electro-magentic operating means, contact structure biased to a first position movable to a second position to effect energization of said operating moans, means to actuate said movable contact structure to energizing position, means disongageably connecting said movable contact structure and said actuating means therefor, and means associated with said switch to effect disengagement of said connecting means thereby permitting movement of said movable contact structure to said first position substantially upon completion of a circuit-controlling movement of said switch by said operating means.

10. The combinationof a switch having energizable operating means, means movable to effect energization of said operating means, a member movable to actuate said movable means to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable means and said actuating means therefor, means energizable to effect movement of said actuating member, and means associated with said switch to effect disengagement of said. connecting means and, thereby movement of said movable means from energizing position despite continued energization of said second energizable means.

11. The combination of a switch. having electro-magnetic operating means, contact structure movable to effect energization of said operating means, a member movable to actuate said movable contact structure to energizing position, means disengageably connecting said movable means and said actuating means therefor, electro-magnetic means energizable to effect movement of said actuating member, and means associated with said switch to effect disengagement of said connecting means and, thereby, movement of said movable contact structure from energizing position despite continued energization of said second electromagnetic means.

12. The combination of a switch having electro-magnetic operating means, contact structure movable to effect energization of said operating means, means to actuate said movable contact structure to energizing position, an arm pivot-ally connected to said contact structure and detachably engaging said actuating means, electromagnetic means energizable to effect movement of said actuating means, and means to effect disengagementof said arm and said actuating means upon completion of a circuit-controlling movement of said switch.

13. The combination of a switch having energizable operating means, means biased to a first position and movable toa second position to effect energization of said operating means, a member movable to actuate said means to said second position, means energizable to effect movement of said moveable member, means disengageably connecting said biased means and said member, and means associated With said switch to effect disengagement of said connecting means and thereby movement of said movable means to said first position despite continued energization of said energizable means.

14. A relay comprising a movable contact member biased to a first circuit-controlling position, a Winding adapted to beenergized, means responsive to energization of said Winding to move and hold said contact member to and in a second circuit-controlling position, and a connection between said member and said means adapted to be broken to cause. movement of said member to first circuit-controlling position during continued energization of said Winding.

WILLIAM sooTT. 

